This invention relates to pneumatic tires for vehicles, and more particularly to belted tires. The invention is most applicable to steel belted, radial truck tires.
Steel belted radial truck tires which are subjected primarily to interstate highway driving conditions exhibit a particular tread wear pattern, wherein the edges of the tread adjacent the tread grooves are rapidly worn or nipped off. This rapid wearing or nipping reduces tread life and contributes to deposit of undesirably large quantities of synthetic rubber particles along the highways.
This rapid wear or nipping problem is believed to be caused by minor buckling in or deflection of the tire belt structure adjacent the tread grooves. The deflection causes the portion of the tread between grooves to twist, placing increased stress on the edged of the tread. The increased stress on the edge of the tread in turn causes the aforementioned rapid wear or nipping.